Canker Cuts Spur Plans For Protests

Warrants Expected To Allow Trees To Be Chopped In Boca Area

July 10, 2003|By Sam Tranum Staff Writer

Furious Boca Raton residents were making plans Wednesday to obstruct the state Department of Agriculture's efforts to cut their backyard citrus trees as part of a program meant to stop the spread of citrus canker.

"There's a large coalition of homeowners that have agreed to sign on to that agenda," said Boca Raton resident David Bishop, 39.

"This is our only option. This is our last resort."

Palm Beach Circuit Court Judge Thomas Barkdull was expected to issue 436 warrants today to allow the Department of Agriculture to cut down citrus trees in Boca Raton that the agency says have been exposed to the disease.

Residents say the state used sloppy methods and flawed science to condemn their trees. They also question how harmful the disease is to citrus trees.

The agency insists the Boca Raton trees must be destroyed because they are within 1,900 feet of trees that were infected with canker and could have been exposed to the disease.

Boca Raton-based attorney Barry Silver, who represents Palm Beach County residents fighting the state's canker-eradication program, said he has heard some of his clients were planning to meet the deputies and workers with acts of civil disobedience.

Property owners might be waiting with a couple dozen of their friends when the cutters arrive, Silver said.

"Just to greet them," he said.

Robert Powers, 58, a Boca Raton resident, said he was considering civil disobedience in defense of his orange tree and his grapefruit tree.

What exactly will he do?

"We don't know. We can obviously make things more difficult for them," he said.

There's a chance the clash between police and saw-wielding cutters and citrus tree-loving homeowners might never happen.

Broward County Circuit Court Judge J. Leonard Fleet is considering a request from canker-eradication program foes for a temporary injunction to stop tree cutting. He could rule before Department of Agriculture workers hit the Boca Raton streets.

Andrew Meyers, lead attorney for the program opponents, said his request for an injunction had included Palm Beach County.

Sam Tranum can be reached at stranum@sun-sentinel.com or 561-243-6522.